✔ Updated · 50 zucchini recipes: baking, snacks, sides, pasta, stuffed and mains
Every August my garden hands me more zucchini than any family can eat, so I've gotten very creative. Here are my 50 best ways to use it, from zucchini bread and fritters to stuffed boats and lasagna.
The best zucchini recipes are zucchini bread, zucchini fritters, baked zucchini fries, sausage-stuffed zucchini boats, zucchini noodles with pesto, ratatouille, zucchini lasagna, grilled zucchini and lemon garlic sauteed zucchini. For crisp results, salt and squeeze grated zucchini before baking or frying, and cook sliced zucchini over high heat so it browns instead of steaming.
- Quickest: lemon garlic zucchini, sauteed zucchini and zoodles (10 minutes).
- For a glut: zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini cake and fritters each use 2 or more.
- Kid favorites: zucchini fries, tots, pizza bites and chocolate zucchini bread.
Zucchini Bread, Muffins and Breakfast
Baking is where a zucchini glut really disappears. Grate it on the large holes of a box grater and, for breads, you don't even need to peel it.
1. Classic Zucchini Bread
Moist, cinnamon-spiced quick bread that hides a whole zucchini. My first stop every August.
How: Fold 2 cups grated zucchini into a cinnamon quick bread batter and bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes.
2. Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Fudgy chocolate loaf with chocolate chips. Nobody spots the zucchini, I promise.
How: Add 1/2 cup cocoa and chocolate chips to zucchini bread batter and bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes.
3. Lemon Zucchini Muffins
Bright, tender muffins with lemon zest and a sweet lemon glaze.
How: Fold grated zucchini and lemon zest into a muffin batter, bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes and glaze with lemon icing.
4. Zucchini Sesame Loaf
A savory loaf studded with zucchini and topped with toasted sesame seeds. Great with soup.
How: Mix grated zucchini, cheddar and scallions into a savory quick bread, top with sesame seeds and bake at 350°F for 50 minutes.
5. Savory Zucchini Pancakes
Thin, golden pancakes with zucchini, scallions and feta, served with a dollop of yogurt.
How: Mix squeezed grated zucchini with egg, flour, feta and scallions and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side in a little oil.
6. Zucchini Frittata
Eggs, zucchini, onion and parmesan, set on the stove and finished under the broiler.
How: Saute sliced zucchini and onion, pour over 8 beaten eggs with parmesan, cook on low until nearly set, then broil 2 minutes.
7. Zucchini Waffles
Crisp savory waffles with zucchini and cheddar. Top with a fried egg.
How: Make a savory waffle batter with squeezed grated zucchini and cheddar and cook in a hot waffle iron until crisp.
8. Chocolate Zucchini Cake
A moist, rich sheet cake with chocolate frosting. A sneaky way to use two zucchinis.
How: Fold 2 cups grated zucchini into chocolate cake batter, bake in a 9×13 pan at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes and frost.
Zucchini Fritters, Fries and Snacks
The one rule for crispy zucchini snacks: salt the grated zucchini, wait 10 minutes, then squeeze it hard in a clean towel. A shocking amount of water comes out.
9. Zucchini Fritters
Crispy-edged fritters with herbs and feta, served with garlicky yogurt. Kids love these.
How: Salt and squeeze grated zucchini, mix with egg, flour, feta and dill, and fry spoonfuls 3 minutes per side.
10. Baked Zucchini Fries
Crunchy parmesan-panko sticks with marinara for dipping.
How: Dip zucchini sticks in egg and parmesan panko and bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or air-fry at 400°F for 10.
11. Zucchini Tots
Little cheesy bites of grated zucchini, baked in a mini muffin tin until golden.
How: Mix squeezed zucchini with egg, cheddar and breadcrumbs, press into mini muffin cups and bake at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes.
12. Zucchini Chips
Paper-thin slices baked low and slow until crisp. Salty, crunchy snacking.
How: Slice very thin, toss with a little oil and salt and bake at 225°F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, flipping halfway.
13. Zucchini Pizza Bites
Thick zucchini rounds topped with sauce, mozzarella and mini pepperoni.
How: Top 1/2 inch rounds with marinara, mozzarella and pepperoni and bake at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
14. Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Delicate squash flowers filled with ricotta and herbs, lightly battered and fried.
How: Fill blossoms with seasoned ricotta, twist the tips, dip in a thin batter and fry at 350°F for 2 minutes.
15. Zucchini Ricotta Roll-Ups
Grilled zucchini ribbons rolled around lemony ricotta and basil, baked in marinara.
How: Grill thin zucchini ribbons, roll around seasoned ricotta, nestle in marinara with mozzarella and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
Zucchini Side Dishes
For browned, not soggy, zucchini: use a hot pan, don't crowd it, and salt at the end.
16. Lemon Garlic Zucchini
Zucchini half-moons seared with garlic and finished with lemon. Ten minutes, start to finish.
How: Sear sliced zucchini in a hot pan with olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds and finish with lemon.
17. Simple Sauteed Zucchini
Golden coins with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, the side I make most weeknights.
How: Cook thin slices in a single layer in hot olive oil until golden on both sides, then season and add lemon.
18. Roasted Parmesan Zucchini
Zucchini spears roasted with a crispy parmesan crust.
How: Toss spears with oil, garlic powder and parmesan and roast at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
19. Grilled Zucchini
Charred planks with olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs, made for barbecue nights.
How: Slice lengthwise, brush with oil and grill over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes per side.
20. Zucchini Gratin
Thin zucchini slices baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce with a crunchy top.
How: Layer zucchini with a light cheese sauce and gruyere, top with breadcrumbs and bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
21. Corn, Zucchini and Tomato Saute
A colorful summer skillet with sweet corn and goat cheese crumbled on top.
How: Saute zucchini and corn in butter, add halved cherry tomatoes and basil, then crumble goat cheese over.
22. Ratatouille
The classic Provencal stew of zucchini, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. Better the next day.
How: Cook each vegetable separately in olive oil, then simmer together with tomatoes, garlic and herbs for 20 to 30 minutes.
23. Zucchini Ciambotta
A rustic Southern Italian vegetable stew with potatoes, peppers and zucchini.
How: Simmer potatoes, peppers, onion and zucchini with tomatoes and basil until soft and saucy, about 40 minutes.
Zucchini Salads and Soups
Young, small zucchini are sweet and tender enough to eat raw. Save the big ones for soups and baking.
24. Zucchini Orzo Salad
Orzo, zucchini, feta, herbs and lemon. Great warm or cold, and perfect for potlucks.
How: Toss cooked orzo with sauteed zucchini, feta, peas, mint, lemon juice and olive oil.
25. Carrot and Zucchini Ribbon Salad
Fresh ribbons of carrot and zucchini in a zingy lemon dressing.
How: Shave carrots and zucchini into ribbons with a peeler and toss with lemon, olive oil, salt and herbs.
26. Zucchini Carpaccio
Paper-thin raw zucchini with lemon, olive oil, parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
How: Slice zucchini paper-thin, lay on a platter and dress with lemon, olive oil, flaky salt, shaved parmesan and pine nuts.
27. Minestrone Soup
An Olive Garden-inspired minestrone full of zucchini, beans, pasta and vegetables.
Get the recipe →28. Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup
A silky, bright green soup with no cream needed. The zucchini does the work.
How: Simmer zucchini, onion and potato in stock until soft, blend with basil and finish with a splash of olive oil.
29. Summer Zucchini Spring Rolls
Rice paper rolls with zucchini noodles, herbs and shrimp or tofu, plus peanut sauce.
How: Fill softened rice paper with zucchini noodles, mint, basil, carrot and shrimp, roll up and serve with peanut sauce.
Zucchini Pasta and Noodles
Zoodles go watery if they cook too long, so give them 1 to 2 minutes in the pan at most, or just toss them in warm sauce.
30. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Spiralized zucchini tossed with basil pesto and cherry tomatoes. Light and fast.
How: Toss zucchini noodles in a hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then off the heat with pesto and tomatoes.
31. Sesame Zucchini Noodles
Asian-style zoodles in a soy, sesame and ginger dressing with scallions.
How: Toss raw or quickly sauteed zoodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger and sesame seeds.
32. Creamy Zucchini Pasta
Grated zucchini cooked down into a silky, garlicky sauce with parmesan.
How: Cook grated zucchini with garlic in butter until jammy, toss with pasta, pasta water, parmesan and lemon.
33. One-Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta
Pasta, zucchini and mushrooms all cooked in one pot. Minimal dishes.
How: Simmer pasta, sliced zucchini, mushrooms, garlic and stock in one pot until saucy, then stir in parmesan.
34. Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna
Grilled zucchini planks stand in for noodles in a meaty, cheesy lasagna.
How: Salt and grill zucchini planks, layer with meat sauce and ricotta, and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.
35. Vegetarian Lasagna
Classic lasagna packed with zucchini, spinach and peppers in a rich tomato sauce.
How: Layer noodles with roasted zucchini, spinach, ricotta, mozzarella and tomato sauce and bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.
36. Lemon Zucchini Risotto
Creamy risotto with buttery zucchini, lemon zest and parmesan.
How: Make a parmesan risotto and stir in zucchini sauteed in butter and lemon zest at the end.
Stuffed and Baked Zucchini
Big garden zucchini are perfect for stuffing. Scoop out the seedy middle with a spoon, chop it and add it to the filling so nothing goes to waste.
37. Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Zucchini halves filled with Italian sausage, marinara and mozzarella. Cook sausage to 160°F.
How: Fill hollowed zucchini halves with browned sausage, the chopped flesh and marinara, top with mozzarella and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
38. Corn-Stuffed Zucchini
Zucchini boats filled with sweet corn, cheese and herbs. Summer on a plate.
How: Fill zucchini halves with corn, cheddar, scallions and breadcrumbs and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
39. Goat Cheese Stuffed Zucchini
Tangy goat cheese and herbs baked into zucchini halves until golden.
How: Fill zucchini halves with goat cheese mixed with herbs and lemon zest and bake at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes.
40. Grilled Stuffed Zucchini with Turkey and Feta
Zucchini halves stuffed with ground turkey, chickpeas and feta, cooked on the grill.
How: Fill zucchini halves with cooked ground turkey (165°F), chickpeas and feta and grill covered for 10 to 12 minutes.
41. Zucchini Pizza
A summery white flatbread topped with thin zucchini, ricotta, lemon and mozzarella.
How: Top pizza dough with ricotta, mozzarella and thin zucchini slices and bake at 475°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
42. Zucchini Quesadilla
Crispy tortillas filled with sauteed zucchini, onion, corn and melty cheese.
How: Fill tortillas with sauteed zucchini, onion, corn and Monterey Jack and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side.
43. Zucchini Parmesan
Breaded zucchini slices layered with marinara and mozzarella, like eggplant parm.
How: Bread and bake zucchini rounds, layer with marinara, mozzarella and parmesan and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.
Zucchini with Chicken, Lamb and Fish
Zucchini cooks in about the same time as chicken pieces and fish fillets, which makes it a natural for sheet pans and skewers. Chicken to 165°F, lamb burgers to 160°F, fish to 145°F.
44. Lamb and Zucchini Tray Bake
Little lamb patties roasted with zucchini, red onion and tomatoes, finished with mint and feta.
How: Roast lamb patties, zucchini, onion and tomatoes at 425°F for 25 minutes, until the lamb reaches 160°F.
45. Grilled Chicken with Zucchini
Lemon, basil and garlic chicken grilled alongside zucchini planks.
How: Marinate chicken in lemon, basil and garlic, then grill with zucchini until the chicken reaches 165°F.
46. Lemon Oregano Chicken Skewers
Chicken and zucchini skewers in a lemon oregano marinade, with tzatziki.
How: Thread marinated chicken and zucchini chunks on skewers and grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning, to 165°F.
47. Salmon with Zucchini
Roasted salmon on a bed of lemony zucchini, all on one sheet pan.
How: Roast zucchini 10 minutes at 425°F, add salmon fillets and roast 10 to 12 minutes more, to 145°F.
48. Fish Tacos with Zucchini Slaw
Crispy fish tacos with a crunchy, limey zucchini and cabbage slaw.
How: Top crispy fish (145°F) in tortillas with julienned zucchini and cabbage tossed in lime and a little mayo.
49. Kung Pao Chicken
A Panda Express-inspired kung pao with diced zucchini, peanuts and chilies.
Get the recipe →50. Grilled Vegetable Kebabs
Zucchini, peppers, onion and mushrooms on skewers with a herby marinade.
How: Thread chunky vegetables on skewers, brush with herb oil and grill 8 to 10 minutes, turning often.
Zucchini Guides
Got more zucchini than you can cook this week? I freeze my August glut so we're eating summer zucchini in soups and breads all winter.
Can You Freeze Zucchini (Courgettes)?
How I blanch and freeze slices and grated zucchini for soups, breads and sauces all winter.
Get the recipe →
Types of Squash
Zucchini, yellow squash, pattypan and 37 more summer and winter squash, and how to cook each one.
Get the recipe →How to Pick, Prep and Store Zucchini
- Pick: choose firm, glossy zucchini about 6 to 8 inches long. Small ones are sweeter, with fewer seeds.
- Prep: no need to peel. Trim the ends, and scoop the seeds from very large zucchini.
- Remove water: for fritters, breads and bakes, salt grated zucchini, rest 10 minutes and squeeze it dry.
- Store: keep whole, unwashed zucchini in the crisper drawer for 4 to 7 days. Cooked zucchini keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
- Freeze: blanch slices for 3 minutes, chill, dry and freeze, or freeze grated zucchini raw in measured bags for baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to cook zucchini?
For flavor, cook zucchini fast over high heat: sear slices in a hot pan, roast at 425°F or grill until browned. Don't crowd the pan and add salt at the end so it browns instead of steaming. Finish with lemon, garlic or parmesan.
How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy?
Use high heat and a single layer when sauteing or roasting, and avoid overcooking. For fritters, breads and casseroles, salt grated or sliced zucchini, let it sit 10 minutes and squeeze or pat out the water before using it.
Do you peel zucchini before cooking?
No. Zucchini skin is thin, tender and full of color, so just wash and trim it. Very large, older zucchini can have tougher skin and big seeds; peel those if you like and scoop out the seedy middle.
What can I do with a lot of zucchini?
Bake zucchini bread, muffins and chocolate zucchini cake, make fritters, stuffed zucchini boats and ratatouille, and freeze the rest. Blanched slices and raw grated zucchini both freeze well for soups, sauces and baking.
Can you eat zucchini raw?
Yes. Young, small zucchini are tender and mild raw. Shave them into ribbons for salads and carpaccio or spiralize them into noodles. Wash them well first. If a zucchini tastes very bitter, don't eat it, as that can be a sign of natural toxins.
